Mr Forster, In His
Botanical Excursion This Day, Shot A Pigeon, In The Craw Of Which Was A
Wild Nutmeg.
He took some pains to find the tree, but his endeavours were
without success.
In the evening a party of us walked to the eastern sea-
shore, in order to take the bearing of Annattom, and Erronan or Footoona.
The horizon proved so hazy that I could see neither; but one of the natives
gave me, as I afterwards found, the true direction of them. We observed
that in all, or most of their sugar plantations, were dug holes or pits,
four feet deep, and five or six in diameter; and on our enquiring their
use, we were given to understand that they caught rats in them. These
animals, which are very destructive to the canes, are here in great plenty.
The canes, I observed, were planted as thick as possible round the edge of
these pits, so that the rats in coming at them are the more liable to
tumble in.
Next morning we found the tiller sprung in the rudder head, and, by some
strange neglect, we had not a spare one on board, which we were ignorant of
till now it was wanting. I knew but of one tree in the neighbourhood fit
for this purpose, which I sent the carpenter on shore to look at, and an
officer, with a party of men, to cut it down, provided he could obtain
leave of the natives; if not, he was ordered to acquaint me. He understood
that no one had any objection, and set the people to work accordingly. But
as the tree was large, this required some time; and, before it was down,
word was brought me that our friend Paowang was not pleased. Upon this I
gave orders to desist, as we found that, by scarfing a piece to the inner
end of the tiller, and letting it farther into the rudder-head, it would
still perform its office. But as it was necessary to have a spare one on
board, I went on shore, sent for Paowang, made him a present of a dog and a
piece of cloth, and then explained to him that our great steering paddle
was broken, and that I wanted that tree to make a new one. It was easy to
see how well pleased every one present was, with the means I took to obtain
it. With one voice they gave their consent, Paowang joining his also, which
he perhaps could not have done without the others; for I do not know that
he had either more property, or more authority, than the rest. This point
being obtained, I took our friend on board to dinner, and after it was
over, went with him ashore, to pay a visit to an old chief, who was said to
be king of the island; which was a doubt with me. Paowang took little or no
notice of him. I made him a present, after which he immediately went away,
as if he got all he came for.
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